American author of children and young adult books, Laurie Halse Anderson, was born Oct. 23, 1961 in Potsdam, N.Y.

Her father was a minister and she had a younger sister, Lisa.

As early as second grade, Anderson showed an interest in writing. As a teenager, she enjoyed reading Science Fiction and Fantasy.

During her senior year in high school, she traveled to Denmark as an exchange student and lived on a pig farm.

Anderson attended college at Onondaga Community College and later Georgetown University, graduating in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics.

She married Greg Anderson and they had two daughters, Stephanie and Meredith.

After a few years, they divorced and years later she got back with her childhood sweetheart, Scot Larrabee. They married and combined their two families, her two girls and his two children, Jessica and Christian.

Anderson worked as a freelance journalist during the time she started writing.

Her first picture book for children was “Ndito Runs,” published in 1996.

In 1999, her book, “Speak,” was published and has become required reading in some schools across the country.

This book was chosen winner of the 2000 ALA Best Book for Young Adult’s Award even though it has received both censorship and critical acclaim.

In her writing career to date, she has sold more than eight million copies of her books.

Henryetta Public Library has the young adult fiction book, “Speak” available to check out.